A blog dedicated to the discussion of topics relating to the history of Sandusky and Erie County, Ohio, the Lake Erie Islands, and nearby communities; inspired by the collections of the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center and Follett House Museum. A service of the Sandusky Library.

Monday, October 06, 2014

I.F. Mack’s Address on “The Four Pioneers”

On June 8, 1881, I.F. Mack, the well-known publisher
of the Sandusky Register, gave an
address at the twenty fifth annual meeting of the Firelands Historical Society
in Norwalk, Ohio.

His address, entitled “The Four Pioneers,” featured sketches
of four well known pioneer attorneys in the Firelands area.

In the eight years prior to the 1881 meeting, four respected
judges from Erie County had passed away. They were: Walter F. Stone, William G.
Lane, Joseph M. Root, and Cooper K. Watson. Mr. Mack had known each of these
men personally. He gave a brief biography of each of the deceased attorneys,
and then he examined the character of each of the men. According to Mack,
Walter F. Stone was very gentle in nature, and was a man of peace. “He was a
gentleman always, in the practice of his profession as well as social life.”

William G. Lane was described as having the
combination of diffidence, mental strength, fidelity to the highest duty,
patience and courage. Mr. Mack also said that Judge Lane had “sincerity,
coupled with unquestioned purity of thought and feeling,” and claimed that he was the “wisest counsellor we ever had at our bar.”

About Joseph M. Root, I.F. Mack said that he was
sincere, honest, and brave, but “his prejudices were too intense to make him an
agreeable social companion.” When someone disagreed with Joseph M. Root, his
wrath was often excited and he was known to “draw forth a torrent of abuse.”
Mr. Mack said simply that Root “was not a great lawyer.”

According to Mack, Cooper K. Watson “possessed legal
ability of the highest order.” He had a consummate knowledge of the laws, and a
thorough understanding of the intricate rules and modes of practice, and was known to be severe in the sentencing of criminals. Mack wrote that Judge Watson “read books, law, theology, poetry, history, romance, and science
greedily, remembered what he read, and made it useful, in the practice of his
profession and in his intercourse with friends.”

Mr. Mack concluded by stating that all four of the
pioneer lawyers were regarded as honest men, in a profession popularly believed
to contain its full share of dishonest men. He stressed the importance of
honesty and integrity as the chief cornerstone of character, to be regarded as
more important than owning lands, stocks and bonds.

To read I.F. Mack’s address
“The Four Pioneers,” see the Firelands
Pioneer of June 1882. His address is found on pages 62 to 70. You can see a
framed picture of each of the four attorneys discussed in Mack’s speech on the
third floor of the Erie County Courthouse.